This October Hesperus Press is launching a new imprint, Hesperus Minor, which will publish a carefully selected list of well-loved children’s classics introducing them to a new generation.

These are nostalgic books adults will have fond memories of and want to share with their children and loved ones. The three launch titles – The Coral Island by R. M Ballatyne, The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E.Nesbit, and The Princess and the Goblin by George Macdonald – will also have forewords by three of todays most respected and loved children’s authors: Julia Donaldson, John Boyne and Joseph Delaney.

To launch Hesperus Minor, Hesperus Press is to run a special competition to find the next out of print children’s classic for publication in 2014.

Entrants are asked to write no more than 500 words explaining why they love their chosen book and why it deserves to be republished, to be submitted to Hesperus by 22th September. The winning entrant will be announced on the publication day of the first books on the Hesperus Minor list on 25th October 2013 and have their 500-word submission printed in the republished classic in February 2014.

The competition launched yesterday, 9 September. Full details can be found here.

The judging panel is made up of Annie Dalton, author of the Angel Academy and Tilly Beany books, Amanda Craig, author and The Times children’s books critic, Jennifer Bell, Foyles children’s books buyer and Melissa Cox, Waterstones children’s bookseller.

So what are you waiting for? What out of print classic do you long to see available again?